The South Carolina Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision,[2] ruled that Article VI, section 2 and Article XVII, section 4 of the South Carolina Constitution—both of which state, "No person who denies the existence of a Supreme Being shall hold any office under this Constitution"[1]—could not be enforced because they violated the First Amendment protection of free exercise of religion and the Article VI, section 3 of the United States Constitution banning the use of a religious test for public office.[8] Current precedent holds that these provisions are binding on the states under the 14th Amendment.